Microorganisms and their respective

place in the living world

Lecture

1st Year, 2nd Semester

Microbiology and Infection Control
(MICRO-302)
Prepared by;
Ambreen Rafique
 Objectives
 At the end of the lecture, student would be able to:
 Define normal flora/biota

 Identify sterile and non-sterile sites

 Describe the normal flora/biota at non-sterile sites.

 Benefits and harm of normal body flora

 PLACE IN THE LIVING
WORLD
There are enormous numbers of microbes in, on
and around us in our environment many of these
microbes do not cause disease.
Micro organism that inhabit the human body,
As normal flora
As opportunistic pathogens
And as true pathogens.
NORMAL FLORA
Definition:
 Normal flora is the mixture of microorganisms (bacteria
and fungi) that are regularly found at an anatomical site
of human body without causing disease like:
 Skin
 Eyes (i.e.Cunjuctiva)
 Nose (i.e. Respiratory tract)
 Mouth (i.e. Human Oral Cavity)
 Ears
 Urogenital tract
 Alementary tract
The human flora are the microorganisms that constantly
inhabit the human body
 They include bacteria, fungi.

 Some of these organisms are known to perform tasks that

are useful for the human host, while the majority have no
known beneficial or harmful effect.

Those that are expected to be present, and that under

normal circumstances do not cause disease, are termed
normal flora, or microbiota.
 CARRIER STATE
The term CARRIER implies that an individual
harbors a potential pathogen and therefore can
be a source of infection of others.
Or
Asymptomatic infection or to a patient who has
recovered from a disease but continues to carry
the organism and may shed it for a long period.
 Sites of Normal flora
Site  Normal Flora Sterile
 
Liver √
Skin √
Mucous membrane √
Lungs √
Colon √
Blood √
Middle and internal ear √
Brain √
CSF √
 Sites of Normal flora
Site  Normal Flora Sterile

 
Bones √
Vagina √
Heart √
Amniotic fluid √

Distal urethra √
Urinary bladder √
Muscle √
External ear √
 Factors influencing the
composition of normal flora

Genetics
 Age and sex
Stress
Geographic location
Climate
Nutrition
Drug therapy 
Hormonal changes
 Importance of The Normal Flora (Advantages)

The members of the normal flora play a role both in the maintenance of health and in the causation of disease in
significant ways:
• They constitute a protective host defense
mechanism. The nonpathogenic resident bacteria
occupy attachment sites on the skin and mucosa that
can interfere with colonization by pathogenic
bacteria.
 Importance of The Normal Flora
(Advantages)

2.Nutritional
function i:e.
They produce
several B
vitamins and
vitamin K in
intestine.
 Importance of The Normal Flora
(Disadvantages)
They can cause disease in the following:

They can cause disease, especially in immuno-

compromised and debilitated individuals. Although
these organisms are non-pathogens in their usual
anatomic location, they can be pathogens in other
parts of the body.
Medically Important Members of Normal flora
 NORMAL FLORA OF SKIN

The majority of skin microorganisms are

found in the most superficial layers (SC)
of the epidermis and the upper parts of
the hair follicles.

i. Staphylococcus epidermidis
ii. Staphylococcus aureus
iii.Corynebacterium diphtheria
iv.Group G Streptococci
v. Pseudomonas aeruginosa
vi.Anaerobes (e.g. Peptococcus)
vii.Yeasts (e.g. Candida albicans)
 NORMAL FLORA OF RESPIRATORY TRACT

• A. NOSE:
i. Staphylococcus aureus
ii. Staphylococcus epidermidis
iii. Cornybacterium diphtheria
iv. Various Streptococci.

• B. THROAT:
i. Viridans Streptococci
ii. Streptococcus pneumoniae
iii. Neisseria Species
iv. Haemophilus influenzae
v. Staphylococcus epidermidis
• C) The lower respiratory tract
(trachea, bronchi, and
pulmonary tissues):
• Usually sterile.
• The individual may become
susceptible to infection by
pathogens descending from the
nasopharynx e.g.
• H. influenzae
• S. pneumoniae).
 Normal Flora of the Human Oral Cavity

 Oral bacteria include:

1. Viridans streptococci
2. Lactobacilli.

Streptococcus Mutans, a
member of the viridans
group, is of special interest
since it is found in large
numbers in dental plaque,
the precursor of caries.
 Normal Flora of the Upper Gastrointestinal Tract
(GIT)

 Upper intestinal tract is usually

inhospitable to normal flora
because of its low pH and
enzymes.
 However acid-tolerant
lactobacilli
e.g. Helicobacter pylori
 Normal Flora of the Gastrointestinal Tract (GIT)

• SMALL INTESTINE:

i. Enterococci
ii. Lactobacilli

• COLON:
• Bacteria present here are
qualitatively similar to that
found in faeces.
i. Bacteriods Fragilis
ii. Escherichia Coli
 NORMAL FLORA OF
GENITO-URINARY TRACT

 VAGINA:

i. Lactobacillus
ii. Various Streptococci
iii. Gram – negative rods.
iv. B-Fragilis
v. Corynebacterium Diptheroids
vi. Candida albicans

 URETHRA:

i. Staphy epidermidis
ii. Corynebacterium Diptheria
iii. Varous Streptococci
iv. Various gram – negative rods
Thank you